What has been the most gratifying or useful modification to your TCH and why?

 

If upgrading tires, well before it was "needed", is considered a modification replacing the OEM Bridgestone tires with the Michelin Primacy tires at 4,700 miles was the best mod I've made. The car now rides and handles better, wet road performance is vastly improved, is much quieter, and is a now a pleasure to drive. The OEM Bridgestone tires were the worst tires I have had the displeasure of driving on in a very, very long time.

The second most useful / gratifying modification to my TCH was tinting the windows. Living in the south adding a good window tint like Formula One Pinnacle makes a huge difference in the comfort level. With a claimed 99.5% UV protection, 50% heat rejection, and the 60% glare reduction it really improves the vehicle. Plus it looks good... With a good tint you reduce the load on the A/C system and that may improve your MPG... I say "may" as I can't provide "proof" on the MPG improvement as I have all my cars tinted within the first week of ownership...

 

I really like the back-up camera. My neighbors have small kids, who often play in the street. The mother usually isn't watching -- or if she is, it isn't obvious. I don't want to have to tell their mother that I ran over her kid.

 

I haven't modified much, but I did take SteveHansen's advice (https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...tml#post165317) and replace my trunk light with an LED matrix. I am *so* much happier seeing the trunk well-lit and not always wondering why Toyota thought I could see with a bulb as bright as a lightning bug.

 

I love the Razzi body kit, with simulated duals exhaust. Fogs (I live in the country, more light is always better) looking for critters and deer, and tinted windows are great too. It makes a very sporty package with fantastic MPG.

 

You should be aware that fog lights are actually a detriment to your night distance vision. Fog light beam patterns are designed to be low and wide in order to best give you the most optimal vision in actual fog, ground fog, conditions.

Unless you are traveling DEAD SLOW, as would be appropriate in actual foggy conditions with use of ONLY fog lights, by the time your fog lights are of help in illuminating something that CLOSE you're going to hit it anyway.

And the close in lighting provided by the fog lights results in your eyes closing up slightly thereby reducing your distance vision.

 

So far I have only put a AAA decal on (very attractive see through background which shows my sky blue color)

Sigh.

I do want to put a back up camera in though and am also hoping someday to put side moulding.

 

True wwest, I use them in the foggy conditions to help see the animals just off the edges of the road. I don't use them all the time, they help in adverse coditions when high beams would reflect back into your eyes.

 

My favorite mods are my wood dash kit and matching shifter **** and the fog lights. Wood kit really gave the interior a much nicer look. Fogs are mostly just for looks.

 

ipod integration kit. Can't live without it.